Lee-Anne McLean told 9News her life was turned upside down when hackers ported her phone, allowing them access to her accounts.
McLean shared that within just 24 hours, hackers were able to alter her email and passwords, breach her social media accounts, and even open bank loans.
“I have security on my phone and my computer, so I’m not sure how they got all my personal information but I would really like to know.”
Unauthorised porting refers to fraudsters using personal data to move your phone number to a different telecommunications provider.
This cybercrime methodology allows perpetrators to seize control of your phone number. This possession enables them to intercept SMS messages, such as two-factor authentication codes, giving them the authority to carry out bank transactions and infiltrate social media profiles.
According to Dave Lacey, the managing director of ID Care, this violation is akin to witnessing a burglar ransack your home in real-time. The sheer boldness of such crimes makes them particularly distressing for the victims.
The challenge for authorities is that about a million Australians port their phone legitimately every year.
Experts warn if you receive a text message from your telco about porting your number, you should contact them immediately, as well as your bank to temporarily freeze your accounts, until you can make sure your information is safe.
“This is an absolute privacy violation,” McLean said.
“My days are basically taken up by trying to prove who I am again, and piece by piece trying to put my life back together.”
The telecommunications ombudsman is investigating McLean’s case.
As phone porting scams become more common, there are calls for urgent changes to the way companies manage personal data.
“There’s a pretty easy way to potentially fix this problem and that is wait for the person to actually validate that they have requested the port itself,” Lacey said.
